Family Involvement

Family Engagement Project

The Family Engagement Project is an initiative started in 2017. The goal of the project is to involve families within the first two weeks of a client being admitted to the day rehabilitation program, in order to reduce the number of clients leaving treatment against clinical advice.

Results are encouraging, and have shown an increase in retention and completion rates for clients who involve their family members early on in the recovery process. If you would like to know more, please contact your loved one’s counselor to discuss your participation in the Family Engagement Project.

Family Program

Addiction is a family disease, so repairing and creating new relationships with family members is an important part of recovery. That’s why the optional Family Program is consistently listed by graduates as one of the best parts of their treatment at St. Christopher’s Inn.

The program meets 3 weekends per month, and the purpose of the program is to help the clients and family members understand addiction as a family disease, how to get healthy, and to build a foundation so that a new relationship can emerge between clients and family members to promote lasting recovery.

The first week of the program addresses the disease concept, and is an important first step in helping families understand their loved one’s behavior. The second week focuses on codependency. In the third week families receive instruction on how to recognize their enabling behaviors.

Over the three weekends, the program has two components—a lecture/education series; and interactive exercises in a controlled group. During these exercises, clients and family members share and process some of their behaviors which have impacted their family. This powerful exercise allows clients to get honest and open with family members, which is a crucial step towards recovery.

All family members receive information about AL-Anon, are encouraged to attend therapy, and to start taking care of themselves rather than always taking care of others. Everyone in the family is encouraged to get healthy as individuals to break the dysfunctional enabling family system.

“I took my eighteen-year old son, Michael, to the Inn. He was angry, apathetic, addicted and full of self-loathing. Today, when I picked him up I had my “old” Michael back. I haven’t seen him so happy and excited in year. He has a long road ahead of him but now he’s looking forward to a bright future thanks to all at St. Christopher’s.”
—Father of a Brother Christopher

The nurses are the best part of my day.

The admission process was as fast and painless as it could be.

The medical staff is excellent, they treated me with love and care.

Overall the program and facility at St. Christopher’s Inn is the best, bar none.

Family program is PERFECT please don’t change a thing.

I took part in the GED program and was quite satisfied. I haven’t taken the test yet, but I have very high hopes of passing.

Gained immense knowledge from lectures and treatment plan.

It is very spiritual and I needed the experience.

The care and concern by my counselor and supporting staff shows the love that I didn’t know existed.

Staff is unbelievable, saved my life.

The goals I have reached and the new ones I’ve developed while being here are something of a life changer for me in my future.

I was pleasantly surprised by the existence of the Coffee House. Music is a central and meditative part of my life. The ability to perform for my new brothers here and the staff was unexpected and made this an incredible journey.

I would have nothing if it wasn’t for SCI.

Great people, caring and responsive.

I would like to tell you how thankful I am to you for having this family program available. I want to say thank you for giving me exactly what I needed.

The experience of being here and becoming a member of the Brothers Christopher fraternity has changed my life. Being in the Friars house was a blessing. Their generosity gave me knowledge I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you for the privilege I was given to stay here in your house. God bless you all. I will always keep a piece of St. Christopher’s Inn in my heart.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hot meals, warm bed and unconditional love you so easily gave to me. I know if it were not for you, I would truly still be a lost soul.

The road to recovery is called Franciscan Way, and the door to happiness lies within the walls of St. Christopher’s Inn.

I never thought someone could care for a drug addict like me. You have shown me that I am worth something. May God bless you a million times.

Thank you for welcoming me in to your home, and granting me a scholarship for treatment. There’s not enough “thank-yous” I could say, so I’m going to show you by staying clean and living a peaceful sober life.

I want to thank you for everything—from my stay here to working in the Thrift Shop. I am so grateful for St. Christopher’s Inn and every staff member that represents this fantastic organization.

I was amazed by the unbelievable generosity of everyone at our Christmas party. A nice scarf and a collared shirt—I have been through hundreds in my life but I have never cared for any of them as I do for these. Thank you for giving me the best Christmas in many, many years.

I love this place. They have given me a place to sleep, food in my stomach, clothes on my back, and a chance at a first-class life. Recovery is here . . . all you have to do is want it!

Today, I am a sober man. I live an honest and simple life. I’m a reliable, employable productive member of society. I have dignity and self-worth and even self-love. All of these things are a direct result of the care and guidance given to me by the Friars and the staff at St. Christopher’s Inn. Some people call it a homeless shelter. I call it home.